Field of the Invention
The present application is generally directed to surgical instruments and surgical procedures, and is more particularly related to systems, devices and methods for controlling and collecting blood and bodily fluids at surgical sites and cleaning surgical instruments in situ at a surgical site.
Description of the Related Art
During surgery, and particularly during laproscopic and endoscopic surgeries, large quantities blood and bodily fluids accumulate at the surgical site. The blood and bodily fluids must be collected and removed from the surgical site so that it remains clear of blood and bodily fluids, and to maintain good visibility for the surgeon.
A number of devices and methods have been developed for removing fluids from a surgical site. A first method involves using a vacuum to suction blood and bodily fluids from a surgical site, however, using a vacuum during laproscopic or endoscopic surgeries can result in deflation of the cavity. As a result, using a vacuum during these types of procedures is not viewed as a safe and effective choice by many surgeons.
Another procedure involves using gauze to swab and/or blot up the blood and bodily fluids present at a surgical site. Although gauze is relatively easy to use during open surgical procedures, it is much more difficult to use during laproscopic surgeries. A typical drawback involves the gauze bunching up or sticking inside the trocar as it is pushed toward the surgical site. Another drawback involves attempting to push a sufficient quantity of gauze through the trocar port, which is somewhat similar to pushing a rope down an enclosed tube. Typically, the gauze gets jammed in the trocar and cannot be pushed, in which case the trocar may need to be removed, which could traumatize the patient. Yet another drawback to using separate gauze sheets or balls is that the gauze inserted into the patient may become lost or be left behind at the end of the surgery. Leaving gauze inside a patient can cause myriad problems including infection, post-surgery complications, and an increased potential for costly malpractice claims. Yet another complication associated with using gauze is that the volume of fluid that may be absorbed is limited.
Moreover, since gauze expands or swells as it soaks up fluids, when the gauze is removed through the trocar, it is compressed, whereby the fluid in the blood soaked gauze drips back into the body through the trocar, allowing collected fluids back into the surgical field. These fluids that drip back into the surgical site could contain dead tissue, old blood, removed tissue particles, and saline mixed with blood, all of which must be removed from the patient to limit post surgical adhesions and minimize the possibility of infection.
In addition, when removing bloody gauze from a surgical site, the trocar or other instruments may become bloody and/or contains tissue particles that can soil the instruments and optical lenses, requiring more time during the surgery to clean the trocar and the associated instrument.
In view of the above, there remains a need for systems, devices and methods for reliably and efficiently removing blood and bodily fluids from surgical sites during surgical procedures. There also remains a need for systems, devices and methods that are capable of cleaning surgical instruments, such as a trocar, of blood and tissue during surgical procedures.